BUDGET: Road Needs, Rec Center Improvements May Require New Revenue

Saline City Council listened to city staff propose a $26 million budget for 2035-26, but it was the $23 million of improvements at the Saline Rec Center over the next six years that received much attention.

Councillor Janet Dillon called for a new format for presenting the budget to council after getting wordy narratives from city staff on next year’s priorities but hearing fewer specifics about line items.

“When you look at the Capital Improvements Plan, the elephant in the room is the $23 million for the Rec Center over the next six years,” Councillor Janet Dillon said at the work meeting before the general meeting Monday at city hall. “I want to understand where our priorities are.”

Dillon was surprised to see the Rec Center improvements in the plan yet nothing in the budget for the leaky roof at city hall.

Councilor Dean Girbach said as revenue requests increase, along with the possibility of reduced federal funding and a potential recession, city council and city residents will have to make tough choices.

“We are capped at 16 mills. Certain things will have to be put to the voter, whether that’s roads, the recreation center, the dam or any number of things,” Girbach said.

Girbach said along with potential tax increases, the city needs to find revenue in other ways. He called attention to a decision to reduce taking fees from students to compete with Planet Fitness. Girbach noted that the city has to pay for a gym and pool. In addition, he said, last year the city spent $40,000 on water. They’re only budgeting for $26,000 this year.

Girbach said the general fund might also have to make up a potential $600,000 shortfall in the sewer fees.

In 2023, a report by Barry Dunn came out of a previous Rec Center task force. It called for a $7 million expansion and remodeling of the aquatic area and locker rooms. There would be a six-lane lap pool, renovated locker rooms, a zero-depth entry family pool, a 1200 square-foot extension of the pool, a lazy river, an indoor splash pad, a slide and rock wall. Phase two of the improvement, estimated at $3-4.5 million, would repurpose the racquetball cou There were two options for phase three. The cheaper option, estimated at $1.2-1.7 million, would add a small elevated track in the gym. The more expensive option, estimated at $7-8 million, would add a new gym with an expanded elevated track. It’s unknown how much inflation would impact those estimates today. Options to fund these projects included a bond issue or millage. City officials said they would talk with officials from York, Saline, Lodi and Pittsfield townships about helping to fund the project.

At Monday’s meeting, council approved a new task force to consider the Rec Center. Though council has never taken a vote on the Rec Center, Mayor Brian Marl made his thoughts clear in his letter to council seeking approval for the task force.

“Our municipally owned recreation facility, The Saline Rec Center, is a valuable public resource, which undoubtedly enhances our residents' quality of life. I am of the strong opinion that this valuable public amenity must be preserved,” Marl wrote.

Marl said the previous task forces since 2010, including one in 2021, were established to evaluate operations, community needs, finances, and design plans. Other council members were surprised when, contrary to expectations, the 2021 task force study did not report on whether it was feasible for a city of less than 10,000 people to fund a Rec Center.

The new memo does not signal that is a concern for the task force either, despite referencing concerns about federal funding.

The task force includes acting city manager Elle Cole, treasurer Sarah Finch, parks and recreation director Sunshine Lalbert, city councillor Dean Girbach, city councillor Nicole Rice, swim instructor Tramane Halsch, Canton director of leisure services Greg Hohenberger, former school board president Paul Hynetc, former YMCA administrator Toni Kayumi, Saline FC president Doug Schantz and Mayor Marl.

Road Millage?

The other millage request that could come soon is for roads.

Answering a question from Janet Dillon, Cole said the current 1-mill road millage does not cover current needs. She said she was meeting with city engineer Tess Humpriss and DPW director Zach Haapala to discuss the issue and expected a recommendation for council within a month or two.

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